Carbohydrates Flashcards
what are the most important large molecules found in all living things?
carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.
which of: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids: are very large and considered macromolecules?
carbohydrates, proteins, and nucleic acids.
how are macromolecules formed?
they are formed by the joining of several monomers resulting in the formation of a polymer.
how are macromolecules made?
monomers form larger molecules by dehydration synthesis, removal of water.
some important facts about dehydration synthesis?
dehydration synthesis forms large molecules by joining monomers.
- removal of water molecule
- energy is required to carry out these reactions
- requires the use of enzymes
how do polymers disassemble?
polymers disassemble by hydrolysis by adding a water molecule breaking a bond.
some important facts about hydrolysis?
hydrolysis breaks polymers into smaller monomers.
- adding a water molecule
- energy is released from this process
- the process also requires the use of enzymes
what is the monomer of carbohydrates?
monosaccharides aka simple sugar.
what are the 3 types of carbohydrates? sugars and polymers of sugars!
- monosaccharides/simple sugars
- disaccharides
- polysaccharides
more about monosaccharides?
- simple sugar
- can be used as fuel for the body
- made up of c, h, o
- have the general formula: ch2o
have 1 carbonyl group and multiple hydroxyl groups.
can be aldosugar or ketosugar depending on the location of the carbonyl group.
- aldosugars have a terminal carbonyl group
- ketosugars have an internal carbonyl group
what are some examples of monosaccharides?
- glucose
- galactose
- fructose
- ribose
- deoxyribose
triose vs hexose?
triose: monosaccharides with 3 carbon atoms
hexose: monosaccharides with 6 carbon atoms
what is the most common monosaccharide?
glucose: c6h12o6
glucose is a hexose sugar and can also be referred to as an aldohexose
more about disaccharides?
disaccharides consist of two monosaccharides that are formed when two monosaccharides link together via dehydration synthesis.
what are some examples of different disaccharides that can form?
glucose + glucose = maltose
glucose + fructose = sucrose
glucose + galactose = lactose
what is the covalent bond between the two sugar molecules called?
glycosidic bond
what are polysaccharides?
- polymers of sugars
- involved in either the storage or structural functions in cells.
what are the storage polysaccharides?
starch and glycogen.
more about starch?
starch is a polymer consisting entirely of glucose monomers.
- major storage form of glucose in plants.
- two types: amylose: unbranched (20-30%) amylopectin: branched (70-80%)
what is glycogen?
- polymer of glucose
- major storage form of glucose in animals
- stored mainly in liver and muscle cells
what happens when glucose levels fall?
alpha cells in the pancreas release glucagon, glucagon signals the liver to breakdown glycogen into glucose.
starch vs. glycogen?
similarities:
- both starch and glycogen are made up of glucose linked together by glycosidic bonds.
- storage polysaccharides.
differences:
- starch can be either amylose or amylopectin.
- starch is the primary storage in plants.
- glycogen is the primary storage in animals: mainly found in muscle or liver cells.
- glycogen is way more branched than amylopectin.
what are the structural polysaccharides?
cellulose and chitin
what is cellulose?
- polymer of glucose
- major component of the tough walls that enclose plant cells
- cellulose is difficult to digest
- cows have microbes in their stomach to digest cellulose, humans cant.
why do we eat cellulose if we cannot digest it?
- helps to abrade digestive walls and stimulates mucous production.
what is chitin?
- chitin is a structural polysaccharide
- found in the exoskeleton of arthropods
- found in the cell walls of fungi
